2003 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2003 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Airports
1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways
- total
- 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) Military Palmyra Atoll
Area
- land
- 11.9 sq km
- total
- 11.9 sq km
- water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background
The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001. Geography Palmyra Atoll
Climate
equatorial, hot, and very rainy
Coastline
14.5 km
Country name
- conventional long form
- none
- conventional short form
- Palmyra Atoll
Dependency status
incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 NM territorial sea or within the lagoon
Disputes - international
none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
Economy - overview
no economic activity Transportation Palmyra Atoll
Elevation extremes
- highest point
- unnamed location 2 m
- lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Flag description
the flag of the US is used Economy Palmyra Atoll
Geographic coordinates
5 52 N, 162 06 W
Geography - note
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall People Palmyra Atoll
Highways
most of the roads and many causeways built during World War II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- arable land
- 0%
- other
- 100% (forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)
- permanent crops
- 0%
Legal system
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Location
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
- exclusive economic zone
- 200 NM
- territorial sea
- 12 NM
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Population
no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2003 est.) Government Palmyra Atoll
Ports and harbors
West Lagoon
Terrain
very low
Waterways
none